NAIROBI, KENYA: The Government of Kenya has received a Shs1.7 billion funding from the Belgium Government for the implementation of the Vihiga Water Supply Project that will cater for over 300,000 residents of Vihiga County.
Speaking at the signing ceremony at Maji House in Nairobi, Ministry of Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary, Eugene Wamalwa, lauded the project saying that it will go towards the improvement of access to water to residents of Vihiga County through the enhancement of various water supply systems in the county.
“We are looking at a water project that is going to benefit over 300,000 residents of Vihiga County that will include works on the intake, construction of water tanks, piping and treatment plants in the larger Vihiga County covering various constituencies of Luanda, Hamisi, Sabatia, Emuhaya and Vihiga,” he said.
The funding will be used towards the improvement and rehabilitation of the Maseno, Kaimosi and Mbale water supply systems in Vihiga County; whose rehabilitation works will be completed in the next two and a half years and shall be implemented by the Lake Victoria North Water Services Board.
Work on the Maseno Water Supply system will feature, among others activities, the repair and expansion of the intake at the dam, construction of a new horizontal treatment system whose capacity will 5000 cubic metres per day, a solar plant of 130 KwH and rehabilitation of the existing treatment plant.
Work on the Kaimosi Water Supply system will feature, among others activities, the repair and clearance of the dam, construction of a new horizontal treatment system whose capacity will 2500 cubic metres per day, a solar plant of 65 KwH and upgrade of the connection to the national grid.
Work on the Mbale Water Supply system will feature, among others activities, construction of a new horizontal treatment system whose capacity will 5000 cubic metres per day, a solar plant of 195 KwH and adaptation of the intake at the dam.
Speaking at the same event, the Ambassador of Belgium to Kenya, H.E. Roxane de Bilderling, said that the project will go a long way in enhancing the livelihoods of Vihiga County residents.
The Vihiga Water Supply Project becomes the fifth Belgium-Government-Supported water project to be launched in the country; the other four are the Kajiado Rural Water Supply project (Whose project contract cost is € 12 million), the Ithanga Water Supply Project (Whose project contract cost is € 11.4 million), the Sabor-Iten Tambach Water Supply Project (Whose project contract cost is € 15 million) and the Mavoko Drinking Water Supply Project (Whose project contract cost is € 10 million).
Athi Water, Rift Valley Water and Tanathi Water Services Boards are the implementing agencies for the four projects respectively.
The Standard Group Plc is a
multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper
print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
influence in matters of national and international interest.
join